Ultra-trace analysis of gas-phase explosives and chemical weapons is critical for many homeland security, law enforcement, customs, and military applications. For example, analytical technologies enable detection of improvised explosive devices, unexploded ordinance, munitions hidden in cargo holds, detection in clandestine laboratories, and monitoring for explosives in public areas. In addition, selective trace analysis is vitally important for post-blast forensic applications. A critical need exists for performing selective trace analysis for the presence of explosives in large-volume air samples. Volatility of most explosives is limited and, therefore, ultra-trace analysis techniques are required. Usually non-selective capture is used for concentrating target organic signatures from large volumes of air. However, this approach has the problem of concentrating matrix interferences along with the analyte of interest. Sophisticated laboratory analysis is usually required due to the complexity of the captured sample. Semi-selective, high-affinity capture is desirable to concentrate trace quantities of analyte while discriminating against the matrix background interferences. Selective capture allows a relatively clean fraction to be captured and, because of the enhanced relative purity, can lead to simplified detection. The streamlined analytical system can be made lightweight and field portable without sacrificing performance. To accomplish this goal, new polymers that provide for reproducible and specific adsorption are needed.